SCOOTER THE NEUTERED CAT 2018 CAMPAIGN DRIVES CINCINNATI SHELTER CAT YEARLY NO-KILL RATE TO 93%

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

‘Ten’ Initiative Continues Advancement in 2018 with a 10% Surge in No-Kill Progress 

CINCINNATI, OH– January 25, 2019 – The ‘Ten’ initiative, better known by its famous spokes-cat, Scooter The Neutered Cat, primarily focusing on the Greater Cincinnati area – announces that for the first time ever, the yearly no-kill rate for 2018 was over 90%. Since the initiative’s inception in 2013, the live release rate (or no-kill rate) of cats from shelters has risen from 35% to 93%. This increase was made possible in large part by the leadership shown at the Hamilton County SPCA, The United Coalition for Animals (UCAN) Spay/Neuter clinic, and Ohio Alleycat Resource (OAR).  The key to their success was spaying and neutering of cats. Locally in 2018 there were over 7,000 spay and neuter cat surgeries conducted.

The ‘Ten’ initiative is propelled by the Joanie Bernard Foundation (JBF) focused on local shelters and animal welfare organizations that advance feline welfare. “We are overjoyed to see the number of cats being adopted from shelters and that we are so close to reaching a 100% live release rate, but we need the community at large to help. It’s critical that cats are spayed or neutered in order to decrease cat overpopulation – this is everyone’s responsibility, not just shelters,” Deborah Cribbs, Board Chair, The Joanie Bernard Foundation. 

Due to over-population, cats and kitten euthanasia is still the leading cause of feline death in the United States. Cats are 30 times more prolific than humans; with a gestation period of only 65 days, a female cat can produce up to three litters a year.  Spaying and neutering is the best method for helping to control the feline overpopulation; fewer unwanted litters mean fewer unwanted or homeless cats or kittens. For more information on Ten, please visit:http://www.givethemten.org.

About The Joanie Bernard Foundation

The Joanie Bernard Foundation was established to eradicate the need for and practice of killing cats in shelters. It supports the mission of various organizations to care for cats in shelters, aids in the care for feral cat communities, educates the public about the benefits of spaying/neutering and funds clinics that offer spay/neuter services.